Machine for making and distributing fertilizer.



G. W. ALLEN. MACHINE FOR MAKING AND DISTRIBUTING FERTILIZER.

APILIGATION FILED SEPT. 6 1912.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Inventor Attorneys G. W. ALLEN. MACHINE FOR MAKING AND DISTRIBUTING FERTILIZER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1912.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

Attorneys one side to'the'other, as desired.

With the foregoing and other objects in v and claimed, it being 7 I changes in the precisev embodiment of the v UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

enema aLLn'N, or 53mm, 'canrronnra.

To two... a wing) comm:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE cation. I

' This invention product soil.

A .further'object is to provide a. machine-- of this type which is compact in construe-1 tion and can be easily controlled, the brush; gathering meansfbeing movable into and out of activeposition andbeing shiftable from view which-will appeara's. the description proceeds, the invention resides in'the combination and arrangement of parts and inthe details of construction hereinafter described invention herein disclosed, can be .made

within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit oft-he invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the mvention has been;

shown.,@ I In said dravfingsz F-iguie 1 is a 'sideelevation of the vcomplete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, the "casings begngshown in section. Fig. 3 is acentml vertical lon" tudinal section through the machine; --Fig. 1 rspectiv'e view of thecontrolling -1ever an of a portionof the frame, Fig. 5 is an enlargedelevation of a portion of the mechanism teen in connection with the feed rolls. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the upper shaft of the elevator and adjacent parts. Fig. 7 is an enlarged friew showing 1n end elevation, one of the feed rolls use in connection with the feed apron.

Referring to the figuresby characters of reference 1 designates the bodyof the machine, the same being supported by wheels 2 and being adapted to be propelled in any suitable manner. Mounted on the back porticnofthis-body is a casing 3 having a hopert in thefi-o'nt poftionithereof'and which '5 isriacnmn r03. lthmrtdgann a citizen of the United 1 States, residingat- Selma, in the county of Fresno'aindjState-of"' California, have invented-anewfandjuseful 4 Machine. for Making. and Distributing Fer-'- tilizer, "of which the "following is} "specifie relates to inachines for}- gathering brush such as found in large quantities in orchards,' [and for. redu'c-fl ing the -bru'sh to a finely comminuted state after whichflthe machine discharges the" hroadcast for use in'fertilizing-the;

5 ar e opposed-corrugated 'feed rolls 1-7 onerotates-with each of the rolls 1'2 and sprockets are "engneged understood that "and as ring- M-is attached to the lever so as to-hold the chain taut under all'cond-itions. By referring 'to Fig. 5 it will be seen that f A horizontal partition 25 extends' rrmn the back end of the casin 3 up'to thehat'ik nw rdly-"intoah0us'in'g5. A 'gex'ten'ds downwardly from. v

' open endis located di-v nter- -ofa fan 7 which is g agh'orizontalplaneun: a

f8 jonrnaledi'within a bracket Mounted 1 for rotation within the housing ofj'th'e'se i' ollsbeing journaled in slidabk? bearing boxes 18 having springs 19 pressing therea-gainst. I constantly pressedtogether. sprocket 20 a "by an endless (5115111 21 which is mount on an idler 'sproeket 22. This idler sprocket is carried by a lever 23 the chain is so arranged relative to the sprocket as to cause the feed rolls 17-to*'-ro'- ta'te in opposite directions.

wall of the hopper 4 an *aii'aiigciliund' this partition are spaced shafts 26 having sprockets secured thereto, as'shown -iatal-y 8 chains 28 having outstandmg teeth-j29wThef upper "flights of the dhains are these sprockets being-engaged hy above the partition 25 so that the teeth thereon are free to engage the material *lo-f c-ated on the partition. One of-tlie'shaits 26 has a sprocket 30 secured to one end thereof and this sprocket through a chain 31, from another s rocker '32secured to the shaft of one of e feed rolls 17, the shaft of said roll being indi-' cated at 17'. A large 5 rocket 33 is semixed to this shaft 17 an Teoeives'motion, I through a chain 34:, from a sprocket 35 -se-- cured to'ashaft 36. This shaft m 'be ac- 'tnatedinany*suitatile'manneryby the motor- 15a The two rolls are thus hel" I 16. As shown in Fig. 2, this mechanism may be duplicated so that the shafts l7 and 26 will be driven atboth ends.

A- shaft 37 is arranged in casing 3 between partition and the top of the casing,

.this 'shaftfbeing preferably journaled in slidable bearings 38 which are mounted in brackets 3 9." Springs 40 bear against the earings soas to hold the'shaft normally pressed downwardly toward the chains 28.

A feed roll 4liss'e'cured to the shaft 37 and '1 is preferably provided with a corrugated peripheral portion. Shaft 37 lispreferably driven by means of a chain 42 mounted on sprockets 43 and '44 which are secured to,

the shafts. 37 and 26 respectively.- The a other shaft 26 has a'sprocket 45" secured I thereto. and which transmits motion, as

through a-chain 46, toanother sprocket 47 secured to a transverse shaft 48. This last; named shaft. islocatedabove" the partition 45 and between the rear end of easing 3' and the; shaft 37-. Atoothed feed roll 49 rotater. with shaft 48.- V I -Arranged withinthe casing3 and above the 'hopper4. is a cutting. cylinder 50 having spirally arranged ,cuttingblades 51 thereon 7 adapted successively to contact with a fixed blade I a g tion- 25 and material en'ga '52. p This fixed' blade is-located within thehopp r 4at the front end of thepartiged by the toothed v chains-28 ,is xfediacrossthis stationary knife """52 where it will be engaged by the blades i I .51-

' a chain 55, from another Theashaft 53 of cylinder 5O has a sprocket'54, which receives motion through sprocket 56i secured to thetransverse shaft 36.

. extends rearwardly from casing 3 and journaked in this bracket sprockets'62 secured 1 are pivotally mounted at their upper ends The back end of the casing is open between the partition 25 and the top of the casing and the back'end of the partition is formed with an arcuate recess 57. A bracket 58 is a stem 59 projecting downwardly from -a yoke-likeframe 60. A shaft 61 is .journaled in this yoke and has thereto. Side strips 63 upon the end portions of shaft 61 and these stripsinclined downwardly and rearwardly and are provided, at their lower ends with frames-.64 connected by a cross strip 65.

1 The rear end of each-frame has an inclined --extend rom these knuckles. Rearwardly ex mounted to slide.

slot 66 therein and in which an axle 67 is Knuckles 68 are connected, to the ends of the axle and supporting-wheels 69 are 'ournaled on'the spindles 70- which tending arms 71 project from theknuckles and the two arms are connected by a rod 72 whereby. the spindles 70, are caused to swing together so that the wheels 69 can be used A'pivot stud 73 is arranged on the casing 3 in vertical alinement with the stem 59 and this stud is engaged by the longitudinally slotted portion 74 of a controlling lever 75. Said lever is inclined downwardly and has its rear or lower end slotted longitudinally as at 76 and mounted on therod 72. Collars 77 are arranged on the rod 72 at opposite sides of lever so that, while the lever is free to slide upwardly and downwardly on the rod 72, any lateral movement of the lever will produce a corresponding movement of the rod 72. A link 78 is loosely connected to the lever 75 and is connected, preferably by means of a universal joint 79, to the middle portion of the axle 67. Thus it will be seen that when the lever 7 5 is raised or lowered, the axle 67 will be moved therewith and caused to travel in the slot 66. However, during lateral movement of lever 75, the link 78- will swing relative to the lever and there will be no corresponding movementof the axle 67.

Lever 75 extends forwardly over the casing 3, as shown in Fig. 1 and is provided with handles 80 and 81 at its front end whereby it can be readily manipulated. A

toothed segment 82 may be mounted on the casing for engagement by the lever.

A shaft 83 is j ournaled at its ends in bearings 84 which are slidably mounted in slots 85 formed in the bottom portions of the frames 64. Springs 86 serve to bear against the bearings 84 so as to press the shaft 83 rearwardly. Thisshaft has a series of large sprockets 87 secured thereto and said sprockets are engaged by endless chains 88 which extend upwardly between the side strips 63 and engage the sprockets 62. Each chain has a plurality of outstanding teeth. 89.

A shaft 90 is journaled upon the side strips 63 and has sprockets 91 thereon which engage theupper flights of the chains 88. This shaft 90 has a bevel gear 92 a'teach end thereof. Each of these bevel gears meshes with another bevel gear 93 secured to one end of a telescopic shaft 94. Said shaft is journaled, adjacent one end, in a bracket 95 extending from the side strips 63. The

other end of the telescopic shaft 94 is connected by a universal joint 96 to a shaft 97 journaled upon one side of the casing 3. A bevel gear 98 is secured to the shaft 97 and receives motion, through a gear 99, from the shaft 17.

A casing 100 is supported by the side strips 63 and has its sides preferably diverging downwardly, as shown particularly in Fig; 2. The bottom of the casing is arranged between the upper and lower flights of the chains 88 and said bottom extends up to and over the shaft 61 and merges into a semi-circular bib 101 which fills and is adapted to rotate in the recess-57 in partition 25. As the rear end ofthe casing 100 is broader than the front or upper end thereof, additional elevating chains 102 are preferopen at the bottom and is normally supported close to the surface on which the .machine is mounted. The; hood is concentric with the ,sprockets87 and spaced therefrom a sufficient distance to permit the teeth 89 to work freely between the sprockets and the hood. Spring rake teeth 106'extend' downwardly from the cross stri 65 and project throughthe open bottom 0 the hood so as to engage the surface on which the machine is mounted. I

A V-shaped draw member orcoupling '107 is fixedly connected to the sides of casing 100 and detachably engages a pivot pin 108 on the body 1 and in vertical alinement with stem 59 and stud 7 3.

WVhen the machine is not to be used for gathering brush, the coupling member 107 is disengaged from the pin 108 and lever 75 is shifted rearwardly, its lower end being guided by the rod 72. Link 78 thus pushes the axle 67 longitudinally within slots. 66 and causes the frames 64 to elevate and lift the teeth 106 out of contact with the surface on which the machine is mounted. By swinging the lever to one side or the other, the rod 72 can be caused to shift the spindles 70 so that the wheels 69 will cause the side strips 63 and the parts carried thereby to swing laterally in either direction and about the axis of the stem 59. This operation can be carried out whether or not the teeth 106 are in engagement with the ground. WVhen it is desired to use the machine for gathering brush and reducing it to a finely comminuted state, the lever 75 is drawn forward so as to seat the axle 67 in the upper ends of the slots 66, thus permitting the hood 105 to swing downward about the shaft 61 as an axis. Thus teeth 106 come into engagement with the ground and operate to engage any brush which may be in the path thereof. The machine is now drawn forward in any suitable manner and the mechanism is driven by the motor 16. As the machine moves along, any brush in the path thereof will be collected by the teeth 106 and brought into the path of the teeth 89 on chains 88 and 102. The brush will thus be carried upwardly within the hood 105 and onto the upper surface of the casing bottom. The brush will thus be drawn along the bottom of the casing and'will be discharged onto the bib 101 where it will be engaged by the feed roll 49 and forced onto the toothed chains 28. These chains, in turn,

carry the brush under the feed roll 41 and said roll and chains cooperate to force the brush over the fixed blade 52 and into the path of the rapidly rotating cutting blades 51. The material, as it is thus fed to the cutting cylinder 50, is obviously quickly reduced to a finely comminuted state, and the pulverized material dropped into the hopper 1 from which it is fed onto the feed rolls These rolls feed the material downwardly into the discharge tube 6 and from this tube the material is dropped onto the "center of the rotating fan 7. Said fan scatters the material broadcast and it will, ob-

viously, form an eflicient fertilizer when left to rot upon the ground.

I What is claimed is $1. The combination with a wheel supported structure, coiiperating cutting elements carried thereby, and means for scattering broadcast the material discharged from the cutting elements, of means mounted to swing laterally relative to said wheel supported structure for collecting and elevating brush to the cutting elements.

2. The combination with a wheel supported structure, cotiperat-ing cutting ele- I ments carried thereby, and means for scattering broadcast the material discharged from the cutting elements, of means connected to said structure and adapted to swing upwardly and downwardly and laterally relative to the structure for collecting brush and elevating it to the cutting element's.

3. The combination with a portable structure, of cooperating fixed and movablecutters thereon, means for collecting brush, means for conveying the brush to the cutters for reduction to a finely comminuted state, a revoluble horizontal fan, and means for directing the finely comminuted material onto the center of the fan for broadcast distribution in all directions, said collecting and conveying means being mounted for up and down and lateral movement relative to the portable structure.

4. The combination with a portable structure, of a casing mounted to swing upwardly. and downwardly and laterally relative to said structure, said casing including a hood at one end, steering and supporting wheels, connections between said wheels and the easing, means for shifting the steering wheels, brush collecting means in the hood, brush elevating means within the hood and easing, means for reducing brush to a finely comminuted state, means for directing brush from said elevating means to the reducing means, and means for scattering broadcast the finely comminuted material.

5. The combination with a portable structure, and means for collecting and conveying brush, of cooperating cutting elements, means for directing brush from said conveying means to the cutting elements, a dischatgof tube, feed rollsthreabo'vg mean-for' y comminutggmatrial; g elementsiandnnto "the feed Ste in a-horizont-al rolls, a fan ad plane to scatter the" finely Y jerial broadc adapted toapted to rot ast, said chs o mi t awe n gger $8.9 tube in iql; 01 1139 the'ce n ny own, I h

I I In ts t'ufiohy that Ia-im the for v going as avehereto affixed my slgnature 10 the presence of two witnesses.

- GEORGE ILLIA -ALLEN.

Withe ss es:

DOWNING,

LINDSAYYSOUTH. 

